Texas State returns to Bobcats Stadium to host Louisiana

For the first time since joining Texas State’s staff, defensive coordinator Zac Spavital felt the Bobcat defense didn’t accept the challenge it was faced with.

The maroon and gold secondary was again hammered with injuries ahead of last Saturday’s game at BYU, which rose to No. 11 in the AP Top 25 Poll after defeating Texas State 52-14. Both junior cornerback Kordell Rodgers and sophomore safety DeJordan Mask ruled out for the game. Some of the players Texas State had to put on the field against the Cougars began the season on the scout team.

“The biggest challenge we're having week in and week out right now is, when you play (defensive back), there's a comfort in playing the same things over and over and over at the same positions,” Spavital said. “And we're having some young men that are put in some really adverse situations right now because one week they'll be playing — or even during a game, one series they'll be playing corner, one series they'll be playing nickel, one series they could be playing safety. You know, and that is challenging.”

Neither Zac Spavital nor his brother, head coach Jake Spavital, consider the shallow depth chart an excuse for the Bobcats’ performance, though. Many other teams across the country are going through the same situation.

Zac’s hope was for the defense’s front seven to step up, creating pressure on BYU junior quarterback Zach Wilson and making life easier on Texas State’s tattered secondary. It didn’t pan out that way, though. The Bobcats failed to register a sack or quarterback hurry and Wilson completed 19-of-25 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns.

“There's a toughness that you have to bring week in, week out and you gotta understand the expectations,” Zac said. “They knew what they were getting into before the game. We did and we didn't handle it as well as I was hoping we would.”

Reinforcements aren’t coming for the unit. Jake said Rodgers is doubtful for this Saturday’s game and that the team is taking a wait-and-see approach with Mask.

But Zac said the defense is eager to return to the field. The players want to show that last week’s performance was an exception, not the standard.

The team does draw a more favorable matchup this week in Louisiana. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ offense uses a run-heavy approach, posting more carries (171) than pass attempts (136) so far this season, and ranks seventh in the Sun Belt averaging 385.6 yards per game.

Senior running backs Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas lead the backfield, combining for 554 yards and seven touchdowns on 107 carries. Jake said senior quarterback Levi Lewis, who’s completed 79-of-135 passes this season for 1,052 yards with seven scores and four interceptions, doesn’t have too much responsibility in the scheme but does what he’s asked to do efficiently.

“He's going to run the football, he's going to do the right reads, he's going to put guys in conflict, he's going to RPO off of them or he's going to run off of it and then they're gonna put them on the naked and (bootlegs). So everything just kind of matches to the style of that kid's play,” the head coach said. “They run the ball efficiently and that forces one-on-one battles across the board because you're going to have to put extra guys into the box to stop the run. And it's gonna be a tough challenge for us.”

The Sun Belt West Division winners of the past two seasons appear to be more vulnerable than in recent years, though, with all three of its conference games being decided by three points or less. But Louisian still boasts one of the stouter defenses in the league, ranking fourth with 373.6 yards allowed per game.

Sophomore wide receiver Marcell Barbee, who pulled down two scores against BYU and now ranks tied for fifth in the FBS with six receiving touchdowns in 2020, said the offense is looking forward to trying to turn the season around.

“I mean, obviously like Coach Spav said earlier, the ball's not dropping our way. And obviously, we don't have the record that we want,” Barbee said. “But … we come out and we practice hard every day and we fight every day. I have confidence, as well as I know all my teammates have confidence, that we're gonna come out and win each game. 

“Even though the ball don't drop our way, like I said, we're gonna come out this next game against (Louisiana) and I believe it's a winnable game, just like every other game we've had. And I think we just need to work on ourselves as a team and do little things right and I think we'll come up with a win.”

Texas State (1-6, 1-3 Sun Belt) will host Louisiana (4-1, 2-1) inside Bobcat Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m., the game being broadcasted on ESPNU. It’ll be the maroon and gold’s first home game since Sept. 12, a seven-week gap.

Jake Spavital said the team is looking forward to playing on Jim Wacker field again.

“We're fired up, to be honest with you, to be back here at home,” the head coach said. “It's gonna be beautiful weather on Saturday. So I think our kids are excited to not go through the whole routine, they get to sleep then a little bit more on Saturday and a little bit more on Friday as well because we don't have to travel. So I think these kids are excited to get back out there in front of the home crowd.”